SudNDuds
by TetsuoTsubushi
Summary: Sousuke has been having a bad life. That's an understatement, and one day it all seems to be looking up, and it doesn't. What will he do for the chance to love Kaname?
1. Default Chapter

The machine spun them. It was enough to hypnotize most. Hypnotism. An art that while developed in the eighteenth century by a German named Franz Mesmer, never became of much use until present day. He had silly thoughts. To think about the history of hypnotism just because he was thinking 'hypnotize'. He was definitely not a normal young man.

If he had not gotten involved with his current—and now previous—job he would never have needed to come here to begin with. His job until today was to act as security for a Fine Arts Workshop building where an identified 'Whispered' was working everyday; all day. He was disguised as a security officer for the building. No one would expect such a man was in reality a virtual, near one-man-army.

A man came in today with a mysterious 'package'. He overheard word of that from one of the women in the art class. Then he overheard as he was listening in that he had pulled out a 'gun' in class. The same class the 'Whispered' he was watching was teaching. He jumped headfirst into the situation. Shot-up many clay statues and canvases; only to find a man in the nude and the students who were painting him trembling in terror. He was fired. Too reckless; too dangerous. Another was being sent I to replace him and watch over the 'Whispered'.

His 'reward' was a two week vacation and all of the shirts he owned that were painted when the 'Whispered' woman in question went crazy and threw paint on him and his gear. To make this day even worse now his hair was all the colors of the first three primary colors as well as his normal black. He got the paint of his face, but of course, now it's sort of red in places from where he had to apply pressure. It was safe to say that today was not a good day.

All of his shirts a mess. So, he came here to the Laundromat that he had been frequenting. A sort of 'Cheers' place once you start going to there more than once. You know, '…Where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came…'.

So now he was simply standing as his clothes spun and he added soap. Colors and whites were divided—which was hard to do considering the fact they were all colored due to paint. The clothes spinning in circles.

No one bothered to make 'small-talk' with him like usual. The paint in the hair was like a mark that screamed he did NOT want to talk about it.

"Can you spare some soap?"

"Huh?" He broke out of his frustration.

"I'm all out of soap." She confided.

Sousuke just stared at the young woman his age. Japenese. She ahd short hair cut to the base of her neck and which was colored raven. Pretty. Who's this girl standing by the dryer? He never has seen her in here before.

"Can, you lend me some?"

"Y-yeah." He did not bother to look at her again. He did however look at her reflection in the dryer door. He could not help it. There was something about her he liked. Her hair, or her face. Maybe Everything! "Here." He hands her the box of detergent. He had never been drawn to a woman before. He never thought much about women until a year or so ago when a girl who liked him asked him out. While he no longer is dating that girl he found that it was enjoyable to date women. To have a girlfriend.

"Thank you, I'll pay you back." She said in a sigh of gratitude.

"No problem. You don't have to." He protested.

"Oh, well…if you really think I shouldn't." A dew minutes go by. The sounds of the machines making whishing and what noises. The few people who were around. No one was really talking. They seemed like the biggest idiots just standing next to the machine like they do. Why did they not just sit? "Uh, y'know, you sort of seem familiar."

"I highly doubt it."

"Yeah, he wasn't that great of a guy anyway. But, I liked him anyway." She bit her lip as she softly admitted that. It was pointless to say, but she did anyway to some guy with radical hair. "Haven't, seen that guy in years."

"Right." He looks to the washer he was using. Nothing of note.

"But, you do look somewhat like him. Just, not as clueless, and, I don't think he'd ever dye his hair, especially without reason and not such a color."

"This…was an accident."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I was hit by an unsystematic bombardment of art supplies following a random mistake on my part."

"Did you, say bombardment?"

"Yes. Paint was literally thrown at me like napalm. I would have used Greek Fire as an analogy, but, since no one knows what it really is I won't. It may just be tar."

She looks on at him breathless. "You, sure know a lot, about random things."

"Yes, well, maybe."

"So, why did you get, painted?"

"It was an ordinary day today. Nothing of extreme note that I should go into saying. I was performing my two tasks as I would any other day."

"What do you do for a living?"

"Well, nothing now, but I was a security officer as of this event this morning."

"Oh? Sounds interesting. Continue."

"Well, there really isn't much more to say. I made a mistake, and this one woman got mad at me and threw paint at me and threw my suitcase of shirts about in the same stuff."

"Oh, so it was a girlfriend?"

"Huh? No, not at all. She was just, an acquaintance due to work." He protested. "It was my fault, but, I was doing what I thought best at the moment."

"Well, as long as you did that much. I wouldn't hold it against you if you were merely doing your job and you thought something totally different than what was going on in reality." She said dumbly.

"Then it's sad that you are not my supervisor."

She chuckles. "You wouldn't want me as a boss! Trust me."

He just blinks. "Uh, yeah, I was, just…whatever."

"You know a lot, but you aren't good with words."

"Well, no, I don't really require the need to converse much. I do my job and that's all that maters." He said sternly.

"So, you're a work-nut?"

"Well, no, I don't always have my mind on my work, but it does come first in most circumstances."

"So, where do you plan to work now?" She wondered.

"I will hope to be reassigned a position in this town, but I may be sent somewhere totally different to perform a totally different job." He admitted. His tone of voice depressed. He had only just started liking this town. He owned property in this town. Even though it was just a crummy apartment it was his. He had some piece of a normal life with that home. This whole past job was one chance at a normal life and not that of a soldier. Ever since he was thrown off the Da Dannan—not thrown off, but he no longer reports there, or works out of it. He is now granted orders from the home headquarters he does not even know the whereabouts of. "Maybe, I will be able to get another job as a security officer when my two weeks of vacation are up."

"Yes, I hope you find work. It's so hard these days." She calmly admitted with a smile. "I was lucky enough to land a good job just recently too at the local newspaper. It isn't much, but I hope I can advance there."

"Well, you have ambition, I wouldn't see why you wouldn't get far."

"Thank you. Though, I can't say the same for you. You seem rather uncertain to anything except the facts—like that whole Greek fire thing."

"Uh," He just scratched the back of his head.

"I didn't mean to offend you." She protested.

"No, I'm not."

"Oh, okay."

"Do I really sound so uncertain?" He wondered.

"Yeah, a bit. You sound like tomorrow you could be in a whole other country all together!" She laughs. It was true though. He could find himself in some far-off place in the future.

His shirts finished. He just stood there a few moments looking down at the washer. She eyed him, his right eye caught hers'. "Oh, right." He opened the machine and took his clothes out muttering to himself. Things along the lines of being stupid like that and all. He recovered his clothing and turned to open the dryer. Then he heard his soap box fall over and the powdered soap was all on the floor when he turned back. The woman he was talking to just stared at him like he was about to kill her or something. He felt like a deer caught in the headlights. "Is, everything okay?" Then he realized, that the color of her hair as he saw in the reflection in the door earlier was not the one he thought.

"S-Sousuke?"

"Chidori?"

They stood there a few moments. Then he silently went back to getting his clothes dried. He felt totally stupid not noticing it earlier. Who she was all along. The same was for her though. Since, he did not entirely seem the same as she recalled she was fooled what with the hair. The moment she saw that scar on his left cheek though, she knew who she was talking to. She was so shocked by seeing him that she even dropped the box to the floor. She felt so stupid now for doing that as well. But, then, she was just getting really frustrated. He had just gone back to washing his dumb clothes! Still, she calmed. She may have once went into some verbal assault about him having to pay attention to her, but, that was not her anymore. She realized, that he may be just as shocked to see her as she is to see him. Ever since that long time ago, when she loved him. Love? No, she never did. It was, just a schoolgirl crush was all. She's older now! More mature!

"You, could have at least picked up the soap Sergeant." She said before biting her lip.

"I was promoted since then, Chiori." Sousuke noted.

"Whatever, I don't really care about that."

"No, you never did so much."

It was silent again. "What, do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. Just pointing out your disgust in that military," He paused. "Otaku stuff."

"Well, that's all in the past now Sagara."

For a moment he found that strange. That she said his family name. "Yes, that's all the past now, isn't it?"

"W-Well, I'm actually interested, in, knowing what happened to you…back then. I mean, since then and now and all." She nervously let out.

"Are you? It's pretty boring I would think to you? It's nothing much of a story and it's nothing that interests me. My memories never did so much. The only past that I like is in books, and is often subject on that American station, 'The History Channel'." He informed her.

"Why, are you acting this way?"

"I don't understand. What way am I acting? I'm no actor Chidori."

"Well, you're not acting like you're happy to see an old friend."

"I'm not happy though." He said bitterly.

"Is this, because of the terms, of how you last saw me?"

"An old friend, is not someone who puts a restraining order on me and then revokes it two days later because she was just mad at me at the time." He remarks.

"I, didn't mean to do that Sousuke. I, repealed it didn't I? Like you said, two days later. I, I was just frustrated that day Sousuke." She protested.

"You were that way a lot now that I've noticed. No matter, and then, the next day after you took back the restraining order?"

"I, got you arrested for following me, and, you weren't even following me. You were trying to get to the boy's bathroom."

"And, I had to hold it in for five hours while they detained me too." He remarked. "That night, Mithril found that they should probably just withdraw me if this was just going to keep happening. The deemed you safe, and they stopped watching over you." He simply stated. "Old friends, Kaname?"

"I, was sorry. I never got the…chance to say that." She said nearly crying. It had been a hard hit the next day when she found that she had inadvertently drove off the boy she liked at the time. All because of some random events that were common of him. "I never wanted you, to leave like that most of all."

"But, you wanted me to leave?"

"No, I, no." She stuttered. Not common of her. She took a breath. Turned to her machine. "Thanks for the soap anyway."

"Don't mention it." He watched as his clothes turned around in the machine. He entered here feeling horrible on one of the worst days of his life, and as he was just standing there he thought he saw the most beautiful woman around here for some time, and she was kind, and he felt maybe there was a good day coming his way. No, there would never be a good day for him. He had realized by now that there would never come that many times he could feel happy anymore. That's why he was trying to own a home here. He wanted something that would make him happy. He was trying to see what would make him happy. He only just discovered a few years ago the wonders of women, and of life aside from Mithril. That all followed the days he left the Da Dannan. That was another bad day for him as well if he recalled.

He woke up that day in his quarters. At the time he was helping with the training for the use of the new AS with the Lambda Driver like his own. He had found that Kurz while drunk last night had wound up peeing on his clothes. He knew he would regret letting them have a party in his room. Following that aggravation the door in the hallway was not working for him and it kept shut on him. He broke it open. He got gum on his boot while in the hanger, and then went through a Hell of a time finding out who had put it there. Then he shoved the gum into that guy's nose. He was reminded of Kaname and the whole events that put him back on that damn sub when he found her picture lying around. He ripped that thing up. He was then taken aside by Tessa and was then asked out. He declined. She cried. He did not know why. Then the word came in that he shoved gum up another's nose. Next thing he knew he was on the next helicopter off of the Da Dannan.

He was at first at a desk job as boring as it was for him. He eventually was back into action and was doing superb work and thusly was promoted. All along he still was haunted by the two instances in which people he thought he could trust had pushed him out. Namely Kaname and Tessa. So, he eventually was well-received by the home base Mithril commanders. They decided that whenever he was not needed he was allowed to do whatever he wished. Sousuke put in for the jobs guarding 'Whispered' because he had experience and he was really just getting tired of being at a desk on some days, and on others in the battlefield.

"Sousuke?"

"Huh?" He glanced at Kaname.

"Your dryer stopped, like, ten minutes ago." She nervously pointed out.

"I, was thinking. I'm sorry Kaname."

"You're sorry?"

"Yes, it's all good between us two now. No hard feelings to get over."

"Huh?"

"I'll forget all about the past, if you simply treat me to dinner."

"O-okay, but, oh, not tonight." She sighed.

"Why not?"

"I'm going out with my boyfriend to dinner."

He did not flinch. "I understand then. No problem. We'll simply give myself a IOU or rain check for one and all is good."

"Okay. I suppose, I will see you again then?"

"I may be good at disappearing Chidori. I still show up every so often though." He simply said as he threw his shirts in a bag. "Good bye then, Chidori."

"Uh, right." And he simply left. Boyfriend? Now he just felt stupid. He also felt stupid, for not noticing that she was beautiful back when he was with her in high school.

He went to college for a brief stint. It was one of his 'Whispered' jobs watching over a girl who went to college. She was much different than Kaname was about it all and was pretty much fine with whatever he did, since it was rarely that he would do some of the outrageous things he was apt to do around Kaname. He learned from Kaname that he had to act totally different, and he did in this college setting around that girl.

Then she died. Yes, he felt horrible about that since it was his job to protect her as well as his basic job as a friend. She had decided to go on a date one night, and Sousuke said he understood that she would want privacy so kept all things to a minimum aside from staking out the place she would visit later that night. Everything was relatively safe he decided. He forgot to check on the boyfriend though. Yes, he never thought that he would kill his date. And, it was not even because she was a 'Whispered' too. It, just happened on accident after he was trying to shut her up while raping her. He did not take any more 'Whispered' jobs after that and stuck to the basic terrorist prevention jobs as per usual. Easy jobs. And, when they needed a good AS pilot he would be called on, and sometimes he would even get to meet up with Mao and Kurz and it was all good times again really.

One night he had woken up from a nightmare he had. He had dreamed that it was not the girl he let die, that died, and instead it was Kaname. At first, he did not even know what Kaname looked like again. He had put her far away in his mind where he put all the things he hated to recall.

That was the day he decided he was ready to go back to protecting 'Whispered' again. He took the job to guard a few for a short while. Then he took his most recent job, and now he was leaving that one for being too protective again. He did what he thought he should.

Kaname has said something totally different than he would have thought she would before. He did not know she was Kaname at the time, though. She said she would not be mad at him had he done what he honestly believed was the right action. She had changed. He did not pick up on that until now.

He wanted to turn back now, and go see Kaname again. He, just wanted to see her, but he did not look back. She was gone to him now, right? There would be no point in looking back on the past.

He remembered that it was stupid to look back at your past. If you're always living in the past you are not living now. He had to be where he was. He wanted to see Kaname. He should not though, because it just reminds him of a time when things were just a bit easier. She looked as though her life was just going great, and had no room for a depressing guy like him with baggage. Besides, she had a guy already. Right, he kept coming back to that one fact. Why did he not realize that Kaname was an attractive woman long ago? Would that have changed everything now?

"Kaname?"

"Sousuke? I thought you left."

"I did, but, I, uh," He looked around the Laundromat. "I just wanted to tell you that I think I'm in love with you."

She just stared at him. "W-wh-what?"

"Nothing. I was just, I don't know, I was thinking and I just suddenly felt like seeing you so much more. I had blocked you out, and now that I think back, I really like you. And, I only just noticed now, that you were attractive. Not to say you weren't then, but, I wasn't interested in you like that then. I wasn't interested in anyone, like that, then."

"I have, a boyfriend Sousuke. If, you had told me that, back in high school…"

And he blacked out from there. He just nodded his head. "I know. I just thought I should mention it Kaname because I may never see you again for many a-year again. It may take another five to six years to see one another again."

"I, understand, but, do you really want to go that long without seeing me or me seeing you again?"

"I'm not sure. I know I can live that long and get through that many years before I will want to see you again though. At least, I would hope I can. I did make it this long blocking you out of my mind."

"How, can you so easily do that? Block out me?" She wondered. "I, still haven't gotten you out of my mind, Sousuke." She quietly admitted.

He acted on that and moved forward. He looked into her eyes. Just stared, and, then they both moved in for the kiss. But, just as it started it ended. "Kaname?"

"I, think you should just go Sousuke."

"I understand. You have a boyrfriend."

"Yes."

"He must be a Hell of a guy then."

"Yes, he's very kind to me and is good. He doesn't blow things up, and he notices that I look beautiful. He's just a normal guy."

"Okay, if you like normal." He responded and picked up his bag again. "So long, Kaname."

"Right, five or six years then." She said with a shake. She was really confused at this moment.

"Right. I'll see you then."


	2. Sousuke Changes His Mind

The dark, cool night air led him home. A bag of laundry over his shoulder. Regretting his whole life. Everything about him, was abnormal. Over the years he has become somewhat normal though. Appealing to the norms of the culture and society that he lives in. Which means: less explosions, less angry people, more people who like him, girlfriends, and overall, a chance at normalcy.

Sousuke was not sure though, that he had wanted to be normal, exactly. Yes, part of him wants him to be normal. Maybe in the majority of aspects. He wanted to hold onto part of himself though. The parts that required no such changed to become normal. He was a solider. That was true enough. There was no difference. It has led him to think maybe he should simply move to America and try to enlist there and get the benefits of those soldiers. Then he realizes he did not want that life. No, he needs something totally different.

He would love to have a normal job. The problem was that he was not good for any other job. What could he do? What has he any experience in? What does he like to do other than what he already does? A teacher? He could be a history teacher. Maybe, he could instead be an instructor of up-and-coming soldiers. Those were things he could do. He has had experiences teaching people how to do things. Now all he needs is the qualifications. It would not be hard. He probably can even have Mithril just bypass the whole education part so he can go right to teaching. Yes, that was what he would do.

He came to his apartment door. The door was locked, but a piece of scotch tape he left along the trim had been broken. Someone had opened the door.

Dropping his bag of shirts he took out his trusty handgun. Ready to fire. Opening the door carefully so the intruder would not notice he entered the home. As he passed the foyer and was about to come to the hall that went to his bed and bathroom he stopped and swung his arm in one direction. Aiming at the intruder. The intruder had done the same from around the corner. There was silence.

"Weber."

"Sousuke."

The two stare with guns pointed at one another. A glare sent from each. Finally the two lowered the guns and broke out in laughter. "You were so scared."

"Uh-uh! You were Sousuke."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, are you going to put that thing away?"

"Are you?"

"Touché!"

Sousuke walked back to the door and grabbed his bag and closed the door. "So, what brings you here?"

"What, a guy can't stop by and see his old pal while on leave?" He opens a beer. Tossing another to Sousuke as he dropped to a sitting position in the living area.

"So, what's up?"

"Nothing. Melissa is still ignoring my want for her."

"That could be due to the fact that sane 'want' is directed at several others." Sosuke noted.

"Hey, you don't even try."

"And, who had a girlfriend?"

"Ugh. You always have to bring that up!" Kurz drank his beer.

Sousuke sat across from the blonde haired one. "So, you hear about today?"

"Yeah, that sucks. You were only worried for the safety of those girls. Too bad it all went sour."

"I acted foolishly though. They were right to dismiss me."

"Damit Sousuke! You're supposed to be mad that they did this to you!"

"I am?" He wondered.

"Yeah."

"Well, I am. I just don't show it."

"How will they know then? You have to show them your fangs! Show 'em that you're pissed!" Kurz advised.

"And who was the one who was locked up for a night for such behavior?"

"Hey I-Wait, that was you."

"Oh, I know. I just was testing you." That was another bad night for Sousuke.

"So, what happened to your hair?"

"Accident."

"Sousuke, you don't have accidents, you have catastrophes."

"Well, that's what happened. The 'Whispered' painted me and my clothes."

"So that's what took you so long. I was waiting forever. I ate that sub you were saving from the fridge."

"I guess I should tell you I bought that last week."

"Last week?" Kurz wondered. "Well, last week 'last week' or before this same day last week?"

"Before. It was on Monday."

"I'm going to go to the bathroom."

"Yes, please don't make a mess and use the toilet." Sousuke replied. He waited as he heard some retching and finally the return of a dismal Kurz. "Mission completed?"

"Shut up." Kurz sat down and took his beer. "Go order something to eat."

"Sorry. I can't do that. I pissed off every single business that delivered when I tried to show them how to make their delivery system more efficient. I have ramen though."

"Now I know why the sub was from last week." Kurz remarked. "So, how you doing buddy? I think maybe we should go out and get drunk and find you some girl to forget your troubles."

"No. That will not do. Besides…"

"Besides?"

"Nothing."

"You gotta tell me now."

"Really?"

"It's the rules."

"Well, today, after all that other stuff, I met this woman."

"Oh, this is getting interesting."

"No, trust me, it isn't." Sousuke replied. "She…was beautiful. Really. And, she was real nice."

"Uh-huh. Uh-huh. All good. So what?"

"Then I found out that it was Chidori."

"Chidori?"

"Yeah."

"Kaname?"

"Yeah."

"So, what did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Well, she has a boyfriend."

"That doesn't mean a thing! If she were married maybe then you'd have a counter-argument, but her having a boyfriend is not the end. All you have to do is show her that you love her more than that bastard!" Kurz declared. So loudly he did that there was a thumping of a broom from below.

"She really likes this guy though. I can tell."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. She seems happy."

"Maybe she was happy to see you."

"No, she seemed more shocked and regretful."

"Tell me the details."

"Okay. It went like this…and that's how it happened."

"You didn't say anything. You just said 'it went like this…and that's how it happened."

"Did I?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, well this is really how it went…" And Sousuke described the fateful encounter with the blue-haired woman.

"You did what?"

"I almost kissed her really."

"But, did she almost kiss you too?"

Sousuke sat in silence. He did not notice that at the time. "She did!"

"Exactly. Now that you got her confused move in and swoop her up. It may also help to discredit the other guy."

"I don't play dirty."

"No, don't make up anything. You're an expert at covert stuff. Just try to find something you can use against him."

"How do I even learn who he is? I can't go and talk to Kaname again."

"Yes you can! If you expect her to come to you it won't work."

"So, how do I get her? How can I talk to her without it being the way I wish?"

"Just tell her the truth and everyone else lies. Tell her that you still love her. There's no question about it. And you think she loves you too. So, you're not giving up."

"That will work?"

"Well, why not? Just don't go too weird and become a stalker or make her have to throw you in jail again."

"I will suffer a restraining order and being thrown in prison though." Sousuke honestly spoke. "So, let her do that. I won't give up."

"Alright! Looks like you're ready to go, but, we'll start tomorrow." Kurz replied. "For now, drink up and get confident!"

"Right."


	3. Tactic One

"Listen up soldier!" Weber said sternly now as he pointed to a blank 'dry-erase' board.

"Uh, why are you pointing at that?" Sousuke wondered from his chair that was placed before the board.

"Don't question my teaching methods!"

"They don't seem reliable."

"Look, I just wanted this because it made me look professional and cool."

"Only when you actually use it."

Kurz gave him a snide reply and turned to the board writing his name. "There, I'm Teacher Weber now."

"Yes, will you finally get onto it? It's almost two in the morning, and, I think you're drunk."

"Hey! You drank more than me!"

"Yes, but I've built up a tolerance for it."

Kurz did not reply. He simply broke the pointer he had. "Let's get on with this!"

"I'm listening."

"To begin, you will not see Kaname."

Sousuke raises his hand. "I thought you said earlier that I should. Strike while the iron is warm and all."

"I did. Now, if you didn't interrupt me I was going to get into that."

"Continue then."

"You want to not see her right away, but instead wait about a week or so. Though, in the mean time you will show up randomly at places she will be and you will be off to the side or in the distance and let her see you and then you will disappear. That will get her thinking about you in the meantime."

"You will be assisting in this?"

"Yes, I'm glad you asked. I plan on dressing as you so that we can get that multiple 'Sousuke effect'."

"In other words, making her think she was seeing me everywhere."

"Yes. You catch on fast."

"What else?"

"We will find out who this boyfriend of hers' is, and then we will find out as much as we can on him without overstepping our boundaries."

"Understood. Surveillance."

"Uh, yeah."

"When do we commence with the operation?"

"We are now, this is a flashback in your mind! So stop daydreaming Sousuke!"

Sousuke snapped awake as he arrived at his stop. "What?"

"I said are you awake?" Kurz—in Sousuke guise--questioned.

"Uh, yeah." Sousuke was not used to looking at himself. Mithril sure does good work at this sort of thing. "So, why are we here?"

"I looked into it and Chidori works at that building there." Kurz pointed out an office building as they got out from the subway. "And, she frequents that place there," He points to a restaurant. "For lunch."

"So, what do I do?"

"Well, I know you will suffer restraining orders and being thrown in jail for her again and, well, again, but we don't want her to do that right away so we can't let her know you're after her affections."

"So, the plan to make her think she sees me in random guys?"

"Exactly."

"How do we work it?"

"You just walk around once you know she's out, and then you disappear as if you were never there. Meanwhile I will pop up in another direction and confuse her."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"It should be a simple operation then."

And, the two went about their work. Each hiding out in an alleyway on different side of the street. Nearing the afternoon one Ms. Kaname Chidori exited the building of business she worked for famished and ready for lunch. A neutral look to her face as she waited to cross the street. It was that moment she saw Sousuke. She almost shouted out, but, then he just disappeared, and she was confused. Maybe he was there, and maybe he was not. There's also the possibility he's on the job and was doing some strange covert tactic to not be seen. Then as she stood waiting for the traffic to die so she could cross she thought she saw him coming right behind her. She turned to him and instead of him found a man with black hair that looked nothing like Sousuke. He did not even have the same face or hair style. Kurz kept walking. He was proud of his double mask tactic. One that looks like Sousuke and somebody totally different. Kaname would have picked him out otherwise.

She was confused. Then she decided that she was just hungry and finally was able to cross the street. Sousuke and Kurz met back up around on the other side of the city block.

"How do you think we did?" Sousuke wondered.

"Calm down. It was the first attempt, and I think it was partially successful. I'm sure that we at least got her thinking about you. In what sense remains a mystery."

"What do, you mean 'in what sense'?" Sousuke questioned.

"Well, we can't say if she likes you, or if you're just her friend in her mind."

Sousuke grabbed the other man. "The whole point is to get her NOT to think of me as some friend."

"I know. So calm down. It was only the first take. We will have plenty more." Kurz comforted. Sousuke backed away. "Now, to concentrate on the second part of my plan. We find out who her boyfriend is."

"How do we do that?"

"That's my job. I'll have the answer for you by tomorrow morning. Now, if you don't mind I have work to do."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Don't worry about it. I got it covered. Tomorrow. I won't be home tonight so don't wait up!" The blonde gave a wave and a grin and darted away. Sousuke stood pondering what he was up to. What sort of skill would Kurz have? Oh, no. He did not want to know how he was going to gather information from a colleague or friend of Kaname, he just hopes his comrade uses protection.

Getting that out of his mind he stepped out from the alley and made his way for the train again. Unfortunately, "Sousuke?"

"Uh," He blinked. Kaname. He sort of tensed. "Hi."

"I thought I saw you."

"Don't tell anyone you did. You know how...we're all hush-hush on my job." Sousuke nervously replied.

"Are you okay?"

"The enemy may be watching. I have to bail on you. Sorry." With that he darted away. Tripped over a mailbox. Got back up. Fell into the gutter. Finally got back up and jumped into a nearby bush before climbing the fence he dived into and then wound up on his train just as it was departing. Unfortunately he was on the roof. Kaname just stared after worried he was acting a bit funny.

"Was it..." She did not bother to go on. She just touched her lips and walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

Through the nearby window moonlight broke the dark of the living area of Sousuke Sagara's apartment. The couch was comfortable for him tonight, but he was a bit paranoid as it was. Weber had told him that he was going to get more recon info on the boyfriend of Kaname. That was about two days ago now. Something must have gone wrong, but Sousuke had no way of providing backup to his comrade.

The turn of the apartment's doorknob brought Sousuke to attention and his gun to his hand. He was itching to fire it, but when Kurz stepped into the sights he halted. He did not lower the gun though, which should have nerved the blonde man.

The two men stared at one another in silence, and Sousuke finally lowered the weapon. "So…where have you been?" The Japanese man questioned.

"What do you mean?" Kurz wondered.

"Well, a short recon is not two days."

"Oh, that…"

"Well, what happened Weber?" Sousuke ordered.

"Uh…say, I'm a bit tired. Why don't I tell you about it later?"

Sousuke did not even blink. "So you went to a lady friend of Kaname Chidori, bedded said friend of Kaname, and woke up to her boyfriend who was rather angered and red in the face. Following such waking, you ran away with your tail between the legs."

Kurz toppled over as he was hit by the truth of Sosuke's theory. It was so accurate, it was scary.

Kurz stood back up weakly and gave a nervous laugh. "Let me explain it better for you."

"Go on." Sousuke crossed his arms while retaining his disaffected stare.

"Well, you were correct, I decided the best way to get info on Miss Chidori's beau was to go through a friend of the blue-haired woman we both know and you desperately love."

Sousuke did not react.

"Anyway, I did find Kaname's girl friend."

"Wait…" Sousuke almost faltered. "Not only does Chidori have a boyfriend, but she is also dating...a...a...woman?"

Kurz just let out a nervous chuckle.

"Tell me now Weber!"

"Dude, I meant it as a friend that is a girl. Did you not know you can call them girlfriends as well? It's the literal translation."

"Oh…"

"Yeah…"

Sousuke recovered his composure. "Ahem. Continue."

"Well, as I said, I found the friend of Chidori, and I talked with her, and we got…physical. And well, dog-gone it, wouldn't you know she already had a boyfriend, and I do mean boyfriend, and not a boy that is a friend."

"I pretty much figured that, based on what luck you have."

"Hey, luck is just something we believe in so that we can explain how the person we don't like won." Kurz sternly declared.

"Uh-huh." Sousuke said in disbelief.

"Anyway, right, well I was found by the furious boyfriend, but I was not chased away, and I did not run."

Sousuke raised an eyebrow. "You…weren't chased at, yelled at, or fought?"

"No, he…he…asked me to consider a threesome…"

"I'm guessing it was MMF and not MFM based upon the black eye you wear." Sousuke quipped.

"I really didn't think a closet homosexual could be so ruthless." The blonde muttered, shaking his head in his hands.

"Okay, that tells me about where you were from the time you left me until the next morning, but what about all of yesterday?"

"Well, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Kurz noted.

Sosuke's face went sour. "You went after another one of Kaname's friends?"

"Do you have to say it with such a tone?" Kurz complained.

"So, did you succeed this time, or was it a case of 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no use in being a fool about it.'?"

"No, more like 'If at first you don't succeed, erase any trace that you did.'."

"You didn't kill anybody?"

"No…but…that second woman…she kicked my ass pretty bad." Kurz muttered.

"Even more than Mao?"

"Yessum." Kurz hid his face out of embarrassment, but it really could not matter at this point. Plus, Sousuke was one person who has already seen enough of his antics.

"Was that all? What happened to you the rest of the day?"

"Well, I had to evade some…shadows…"

"The police, the second woman having called them on ground of sexual harassment or some other reason." Sousuke translated.

Kurz cringed. "Anyway…now I'm back here."

"So…did you get any info at all about Kaname's boyfriend?" Sousuke finally questioned.

"No. Not at all, no."

Sousuke drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh.


End file.
